Sea Hars House

Cliff returned to his childhood home 25 years ago and has gradually transformed the garden into an eclectic and vibrant mix of established and new plantings. Small and charming at first glance, this garden gradually reveals the joyous personality of its creator. 

The structural form of flowering dogwood frames the entrance to the front garden. A warm red door draws your eye up the walkway where a lattice fence creates a secluded sitting area adjacent to the front porch. A white arbor screens the driveway. 

Follow the driveway to the back garden and step into Cliff’s world – where more surprises wait to delight. A young monkey puzzle tree (Auracaria auracana) with its whimsical twisty branches offers a hint of what lies ahead. Borders show a rich diversity of layers and plant forms – from Japanese forest grass to vines and trees. Playfully-adorned fences and arbors slyly create and separate areas throughout the back garden.

A novel pairing of sedums and a tiny Hinoki cypress in a stone bowl is one of many enchanting small plantings in an assortment of containers. Birdbaths embellished with found objects are meant to attract birds and people too. 

This garden is a space of relaxation, rejuvenation and retreat. A place of reflection. “This is the yard I played in growing up, where my mother helped me to love gardening,” says Cliff. It’s a lovely place to sip morning coffee on the back deck with hummingbirds zipping by, to sway in the hammock in the shade of an old apple tree, or to enjoy a beverage on the front patio at day’s end. Cliff finds enjoyment in observing “how some plants do better as they mature and that keeps me interested in gardening. It’s also nice to make changes – that keeps me enthused.”

Stairs from sidewalk into front garden, but accessible from driveway to front and back gardens.